Effectiveness of preoperative subconjunctival injection of mitomycin-C in primary pterygium surgery

Objective: To compare the effectiveness of preoperative subconjunctival injection of Mitomycin-C at 24-hour and at one month before primary pterygium excision

Study Design: Randomised controlled trial

Place and Duration of Study: Eye Department, Combined Military Hospital, Sargodha, from January to December 2014

Methodology: Eyes of 60 patients were randomly allocated into two equal groups [A and B] of 30 each. In group A Mitomycin-C was injected into the pterygium one month before, and in group B Mitomycin-C was injected 24 hours before excision. All pterygia received 0.1 ml of Mitomycin-C in a concentration of 0.15 mg/ml. Primary pterygia greater or equal to 2.5 mm were selected and excised as a bare sclera technique. Postoperatively, all patients were followed-up for 06 months. The recurrence and corneoscleral complications were recorded. Pearson chi-square test was used to compare the recurrence between group A and group B

Results: The recurrence of pterygium in group A was 3.3%; and in group B, it was 6.7%. Comparison of the recurrences between both the groups was statistically insignificant, [p=0.554].Postoperatively, no serious corneoscleral complications occurred in either group

Conclusion: The preoperative subconjunctival injection of Mitomycin-C in a dose of 0.15 mg/ml given 24 hours prior to excision is as effective as 01 month preoperative injection for primary pterygium surgery with bare sclera technique

Efficacy of 2.5% and 1.25% povidone-iodine solution for prophylaxis of ophthalmia neonatorum

Objective: To determine the efficacy of 2.5% and 1.25% Povidone-Iodine solution for Ophthalmia neonatorum prophylaxis

Study Design: Interventional study

Place and Duration of Study: Eye Department, Combined Military Hospital, Sargodha, from May to November 2014

Methodology: A total of 200 eyes of 100 newborn babies were enrolled and divided into two groups of 100 right eyes and 100 left eyes. A conjunctival swab for bacterial culture was taken within 30 minutes after delivery. A single drop of 2.5% Povidone-Iodine was then placed in the right eye while in the left eye a single drop of 1.25% Povidone-Iodine was placed. Thirty minutes after placing Povidone-Iodine, a conjunctival swab was again taken. A bacterial suspension was prepared from each swab in determining bacterial counts. The bacterial suspension was inoculated on yeast extract agar and the number of colony forming units were counted. At each culture, the number of colony forming units before and after instillation of 2.5% Povidone-Iodine and 1.25% Povidone-Iodine were compared. Wilcoxon's signed rank test was used for statistical analysis

Results: The 2.5% Povidone-Iodine solution caused a statistically significant decrease in the number of colony forming units [p=0.001]. Similarly, the 1.25% Povidone-Iodine solution also reduced the number of colony forming units to a statistically significant level [p=0.001]

Conclusion: The 1.25% concentration of Povidone-Iodine is as effective as the 2.5% concentration of Povidone-Iodine in reducing the number of colony forming units in healthy conjunctivae of newborns

clinical significance of perilimbal conjunctival pigmentation in vernal conjunctivitis

To compare the extent of perilimbal conjunctival pigmentation and limbal palisadal pigmentation in patients with vernal conjunctivitis and controls and correlate it with the duration of disease. Case control study. Eye Department, Combined Military Hospital, Abbottabad, from May 2009 to March 2010. One hundred subjects including 50 patients with vernal conjunctivitis and 50 controls were studied. Demographic data, family and personal history, disease duration, symptoms, signs, complications and extent of perilimbal and palisadal conjunctival pigmentation were recorded among patients and controls. Mann Whitney-U test and Spearman's rho test were used for statistical analysis. The extent of perilimbal conjunctival pigmentation in patients with vernal conjunctivitis was more than controls [p < 0.0001]. Similarly, limbal palisadal pigmentation was also more extensive than controls [p = 0.004]. There was no correlation between the duration of disease and severity of conjunctival pigmentation [r = 0.24] [p = 0.086]. The presence of increased perilimbal and limbal palisadal conjunctival pigmentation among patients with vernal conjunctivitis is a specific sign of vernal conjunctivitis